The Lux Afrique Jewellery, Art, Watch & Home Expo hosted its inaugural edition last weekend and successfully cemented its place as the premier luxury exhibition in Lagos. Here’s how it went.
On the weekend of September 13 and 14, the Lux Afrique Jewellery, Art, Watch & Home Expo held its inaugural edition in Lagos. Spearheaded by accomplished entrepreneur Alexander Amosu, the exhibition sought to bring together luxury tastemakers and consumers to experience a Harrods-style exhibition.
Held at Centrepoint in Ikoyi, the exhibition delivered on its promise of bringing together the finest luxury goods and the experts behind the brands. In a gorgeous exhibition, luxury brands showcased the finest luxury goods like timeless timepieces, perfumes, handbags and home goods. Both days were chock-full of insightful panel discussions about the luxury market in Nigeria, as well as workshops led by experts. Here’s a breakdown of how the exhibition went on each day.
Day one: Unlocking Nigeria’s potential as a luxury market
The first day was Saturday, September 13, with the exhibition officially opening at 10 am. Brands like Rolls-Royce, Lohn Lagos, Glenfiddich, XOR, Dom Perignon, Clive Christian, Boadicea the Victorious, amongst others, had delightful experiences curated for guests on the exhibition floor. In the first panel discussion, termed “Unlocking Africa: The Next Billion-Dollar Market for Luxury,” Alexander Amosu was joined by Hodan Ibrahim, Jeremy Taylor, Jason Danker and Tate Torongo. Moderated by our Acting Managing Editor, Denise Eseimokumoh, the conversation focused on the growing trend of Africa, and especially Nigeria, as a luxury powerhouse.
There’s a shift in global perception of Nigeria when it comes to luxury goods, with Nigeria and South Africa being the largest luxury spenders on the continent. According to Jeremy Taylor, “Africa was previously where they [luxury brands] dumped what Europeans didn’t want, but now they are creating with African buyers and creators in mind. Nigerians are the highest spenders on luxury in locations like Paris, Dubai and other places. So these brands are now including Africa in the journey.” It was an insightful conversation that effectively demonstrated the Expo’s core message: bringing luxury to a market that deeply appreciates it.
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A workshop on the world’s best schools and universities, hosted by Debbie Gispan, a British Education Consultant, followed the panel. Her workshop emphasised the deep importance of quality education, an essential pillar of building the next generation of people who will influence the future of luxury. The second and final panel discussion of the day featured Ewaen Sorae and Derrick Chike Memeh, both powerhouses in their respective fields. Titled “Luxury Reimagined: The Future of Retail in Nigeria,” the panel explored the state of luxury retail in the country and what the future holds for the pioneers and key players in the space. And thus, day one of The Lux Afrique Jewellery, Art, Watch & Home Expo wrapped up on a high note. Also, guests left with valuable insights and excitement about the future of luxury in Nigeria and across the continent.
The night wrapped up with an award ceremony where individuals and brands won awards across several categories.
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Day two: A masterclass in tasteful collections
Day two of the exhibition started a little later, as Lagos is often sleepy on Sunday mornings. The day kicked off with a workshop on enjoying wine, hosted by Aderonke Bamgbade, founder of Liquid Hub and LH Privé, and a wine connoisseur. The session was a welcoming introduction to the world of wine. She invited three guests on stage to explore the fundamentals of tasting, discussing ideas like the main wine regions, international grape varieties, and the simple steps to understanding labels and styles. It was immersive, delightful and perfect for beginners. She also shared something that stayed with me: “You should be collecting wine the same way you collect art, as an investment.”
After this delightful workshop, there was another centred on the art of collecting art, hosted by Neil Coventry. Themed “Collecting African Art: Heritage, Identity, Power and Expression,” Coventry shared insights with the guests on how to successfully invest in collecting contemporary African art. Art as an investment is a long-standing idea, one that fits right into the theme of luxury and opulence at the Expo.
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A panel discussion termed “Made in Africa: Crafting Global Luxury with Local Soul” followed the workshop. The conversation, also moderated by Denise, focused on how homegrown brands can achieve global standards in creating luxury experiences, goods, and services. The panellists — Toks Aruoture, Kunbi Uzochukwu, and Dr Stephen Akintayo — all emphasised the idea that luxury is about creating a delightful end-to-end experience. They shared insights on the challenges of building luxury brands in Nigeria, from poor infrastructure to prevailing mindsets. It was a great conversation that drove home the importance of paying attention to even the smallest details. One takeaway quote from this panel was, “Luxury is about the experience, not just the pricing.”
After a few minutes during which the guests networked, the exhibition proceeded into a live auction, governed by Neil Coventry. Luxury items like limited edition Hermès Kelly bags, Cartier, Patek Philippe and Rolex watches, as well as contemporary art, were announced and displayed. The auction wrapped up in high spirits, with each item sold to the highest bidder.
At the end, the convener and founder, Alexander Amosu gave a rousing speech, thanking guests, partners and sponsors for a successful first edition of the exhibition.
The debut of Lux Afrique Jewellery, Art, Watch & Home Expo successfully established itself as a premier luxury exhibition in Lagos. Through insightful panel discussions, engaging workshops, and a thrilling live auction, the event effectively showcased Nigeria’s growing potential as a luxury market. It also highlighted the importance of crafting global luxury with a local soul. The Expo underscored that luxury is not merely about pricing, but about delivering an unparalleled end-to-end experience, leaving guests with a renewed appreciation for the art of luxury and excitement for the future of the industry in Africa.
